LISTED DoubleDragon Corp. has formally partnered with the Social Security System (SSS) as a Contribution Subsidy Provider (CSP), bolstering social protection for informal sector workers.
SSS president and chief executive officer Robert Joseph Montes de Claro and DoubleDragon Corp. chairman Edgar “Injap” Sia II signed the memorandum of agreement, cementing DoubleDragon’s commitment to subsidizing the SSS contributions of 2,000 informal workers in Iloilo City and Roxas City for 12 months.
This initiative, valued at P18.2 million, aims to eliminate financial barriers preventing workers from accessing essential social security benefits.
De Claro said that the contribution subsidy would extend benefits not only to the workers themselves but also to their families.
“This SSS contribution subsidy will not only support the 2,000 recipients but will also benefit their extended families,” de Claro said. “It will provide these informal sector workers with the opportunity to join the SSS and gain access to its benefits.”
“By offering access to social security, DoubleDragon is empowering these informal sector workers to have a safety net to rely on in times of need,” he added.
Sia said the partnership with SSS is a way of giving back. Recalling his journey as an entrepreneur, he acknowledged the crucial role the SSS played in his early years in business. He reflected on how, nearly three decades ago in 1997, SSS extended a corporate loan to him, enabling the construction of his first 59-room hotel in Iloilo City.
The CSP program allows private and government entities to subsidize SSS contributions for selected self-employed individuals, land-based Overseas Filipino Workers and voluntary members. The minimum subsidy period under the program is six consecutive months. / KOC